The period of pregnancy demands a high amount of nutrients for both you and your developing fetus. Your blood volume increases by 30-50% and your heart work harder to supply oxygenated blood. The red blood cells need iron to supply oxygen throughout the body to prevent anemia. So it is important that pregnant women increase their intake of Iron to allow a sufficient supply of oxygen by the red blood cells.
It is normal to have mild anemia during pregnancy which is characterized by weakness, fatigue, pale skin, shortness of breath, chest pain, cold hands, and feet etc. So when you experience this, know that it is due to the increase in blood volume. However, you can suffer from severe anemia if you don’t eat enough iron-rich foods. This is highly risky for you and your developing baby.
It is important that you see your doctor when you suspect that you may have an iron deficiency. Your doctor will determine if you have an iron deficiency and recommend the amount of iron you need in doses. However, you can naturally treat iron deficiency when you are pregnant by following these tips
Include more iron-rich foods in your diet
Some foods like red meat, dark green leafy vegetables, pork, poultry, beans, peas, dried fruits, cereal, and pasta etc. contain a high amount of iron. You can feed on them regularly but note that it may take weeks and months to restore your iron level. So you can consider taking such supplements like SynerG supplements to help supplement for iron and some other essential minerals.
Take foods containing vitamin C
Eating citrus fruits, strawberries, leafy green vegetables, tomatoes, bell peppers may also aid in iron absorption because they are rich in Vitamin C.
Iron found in meat is more readily absorbed than that found in plants. So always eat foods containing Vitamin C whenever you eat iron-rich plants. This will aid iron absorption.
If your body does not easily absorb iron, iron supplementation can be recommended to you by your doctor. If your doctor does not recommend iron supplementation, make sure you don’t take it with antacids. Antacids interfere with iron absorption, so if you must use antacids, take it four hours after your iron supplement or two hours before it.
There are some exceptional cases that supplementation does not improve your iron level. For example, when you have a peptic ulcer, you can have anemia caused by a disruption in iron absorption. Your doctor may prescribe antibiotics to help you treat this condition depending on the cause.
Talk with your doctor today if you think you may be at risk of anemia.